, 1887-12-29
LODGE OF CHINESE MAsoNs.
A Native Organization Not Allied Direct
ly TO the Well Known i. A. NJ.

A Native Organization Not Allied Direct
ly TO the Well Known 4. A. NJ.
Old Masons were until late of the opin-
ion that no such n thing rs n Chinese
mason existed. One gentleman said he
had seen Arabs and Turks who were good
M~asons, but, to the best of his knowledge,
no Chinnmun was in the order. Never
thclcss, there arc not only Chinese Ma
sons, but right here in New York there is
n Chinese Masonic lodge in full blast
with n membership of over 300. 1t is n
native organization, not allied directly to
the Free and Accepted Masons, but said
to be founded on principles very nearly
akin.
Tn lodge room is at No 10 Mott street,
second floor, front, and has recently been
remodclcd and rcfitted in very good shape,
all newly painted and cleaned. The lodge
furniture is of Chinese design, and i'm
ported from China expressly for the So
,iety at n great expense. A tall flagstaff,
with n rope for running up colors, is on
5op of the building. Above the door as
)nc enters the lodge room is n red sign in
native characters signifying "Chinese Ma
sonic society,"" and down the sides are
two long slips Of red paper bearing mot
toes. One Of these is, "Do good to one
another" and the other relates to the
business of the order.
The interior is like most Chinese quar-
ters, only lighter, n not full of odd
turns and unsupported corners. Immedi-
ntely on entering, one is led into n sort of
ante DON and thence into the main or
lodge room. At the lower end of this
room is the altar, and Il very valuable one
tits, costing in china 81, 500. Above it is
nm alcove in which n colored drawing is
suspended. 1t is not the least curious
thing in the place, the design being three
figures, one seated, and two Others bend
ing over his shoulder. The seated figure
represents the venerable father of Chinese
Masonry. The face is heavy, placid, and
adorned with n long black beard. The
other two are respectively the spirits of
light and darkness, who are supposed to
be giving him counsel. In front of the
altar n lamp is hung. 1t is never extin-
guishcd, and burns in commemoration of
The dead of the order. Another emblem
Is two sticks of sanda wood punk thrust
into n box of sand. They keep smolder-
ing away and fill the air with n faint but
sweet perfume.
On the wall is n long board md on this
are pasted n great humble of sheets of pa
per covered with Chinese hieroglyphics.
These are the lists of member voted on in
the New York lodge. Near the roster
hang two books. One of these is sent out
from the Supreme lodge at San Francisco,
and gives n detailed account of n number
of cases of those in distress and sickness
and he whereabouts of each one who
needs help. The other is n subscription
book in which the various amounts sub
scribed are entered. At intervals these
two books and the amount raised arc
transmitted to the Supreme lodge, from
which the dependent members are re-
lieved.
Meetings are not held upon regular
nights, but Mt intervals decided upon by
the dignitaries of the order, as the neces-
sites of business may demand. The menu
bers arc notified of meetings, held gener-
ally on Sunday nights, by the appearance
of n triangular flag Mt the top of the pole
on top of the house. The flag is white
and bears the picture of a huge red dragon
with its tail toward the point. There are
grips, signs and passwords exactly as in
an American lodge. "The travelling card"
of this society is quite n curiosity in it
self. 1t is n square of rcd silk inscribed
with Chinese characters, and is a docu-
ment highly priced by all its possessors.-
New York World